Herb wrote:What would you need to pay to buy a 'quality' watch?
I am not into watches, my most expensive watch was a Seiko kinetic gifted for graduation 25 years ago which I still wear most weeks.
I was considering buying my son a watch for his 21st, but I am genuinely shocked by the price of any brand I might have actually heard of!
Any up and coming brands? Would it be possible to buy a watch for say £500 that would be considered desirable and will still have some cachet 30 years from now, or am I just way off budget?
Difficult to quantify what’s a quality watch Herb, mostly depends on what you’re prepared to pay, to have a good look at what’s available try http://www.chrono24.co.uk, I bought a Fortis B42 last January, and it’s already appreciating in value. This is where I got it although they no longer stock Fortis but have a lovely selection of smaller watch makers, iirc prices starting from £200. http://www.pageandcooper.com
Good luck with the search and if you like watches yourself then I’m sure you’ll see something for you
One of my friends tried to organise a trip to Switzerland for the Daimler Club's 50th anniversary, where a company offers a couple of days where you assemble your own watch.
Training provided and multi choices of case, face , hands, strap etc..
Worked out at about £1500 but you got a lot of watch and a wonderful experience to boot.
Unfortunately the minimum of 10 people didn't come forward.
I believe there are a couple of companies doing it for individuals now and cheaper too.
Can find out more if you are interested.
I have a Cartier Tank Automatic which I have had for 12 years but the watch I have always hankered after is a Bulova Accutron Spaceview.
"Bulova Accutron the Electronic Tuning Fork Watch" as advertised in the 60's on Radio Luxembourg. the Spaceview lets you see the Gubbins and was originally only a display model but many have ben converted over the years. Still command bout £500 to £100 for a decent restored and serviced ones and these can be anything from 1960 onwards.
There would appear to be a surfeit of prolixity and sesquipedalian content today please do not use a big word when a singularly un-loquacious and diminutive linguistic expression will satisfactorily accomplish the contemporary necessity
I have a nephew who was fascinated by watches when he was a child. He used to blag old watches from his parents and friends and try to repair them, usually successfully. When he left school, he went into IT for about 15 years and ran his own web design company.
However, he didn't feel he was doing something he loved, so he ended the IT business and went back to repairing watches. I believe he did get formal training from Rolex - anyhow, that's what he specialises in. He used to buy second hand from Europe, repair and recondition them, and sell to the UK. But since the Brexit vote, he has found it more profitable to buy UK and sell overseas.
Blackal wrote:Long-time object of desire for me...............
Bought as an investment.
Al
Like your beautiful fifty fathom in 1953, my Ralf Tech was designed in close cooperation with Commando Hubert in St Mandrier. Maybe it will be worth something 68 years from now?
Herb wrote:What would you need to pay to buy a 'quality' watch?
I am not into watches, my most expensive watch was a Seiko kinetic gifted for graduation 25 years ago which I still wear most weeks.
I was considering buying my son a watch for his 21st, but I am genuinely shocked by the price of any brand I might have actually heard of!
Any up and coming brands? Would it be possible to buy a watch for say £500 that would be considered desirable and will still have some cachet 30 years from now, or am I just way off budget?
Difficult to quantify what’s a quality watch Herb, mostly depends on what you’re prepared to pay, to have a good look at what’s available try http://www.chrono24.co.uk, I bought a Fortis B42 last January, and it’s already appreciating in value. This is where I got it although they no longer stock Fortis but have a lovely selection of smaller watch makers, iirc prices starting from £200.
webpage deleted as no longer in business.
Good luck with the search and if you like watches yourself then I’m sure you’ll see something for you
